Carrot... extracted!

For those of you interested in the end of the carrot episode...

On Sunday night we took Jared to Urgent Care. The doctor there tried an age-old trick for ejecting foreign objects in the nose. He said it had worked for him every time except once, and that kid ended up in surgery. So we tried it--three times. It didn't work! So we saw the ear, nose, throat specialist the next morning.

Three young nurses and Adam held Jared down while the physician's assistant went in with tweezers. After five minutes of Jared screaming bloody murder, the carrot still would not come out. We took a break, I consoled Jared, and the doctor came in. His recommendation? Surgery.

I was pretty alarmed to hear the term "surgery," but when he explained that they would simply put Jared under and then pull the carrot out with tweezers, I was more amenable to the idea. I did timidly ask how bad it would be to leave the carrot in his nose. After all, he didn't seem bothered by it. But the doctor assured me that was not an option--infection could result. So we signed consent forms, took Jared to the pre-op hospital lobby, waited an hour while Jared ran around the hospital entrance like a mad man, signed more consent forms, spoke with an insurance representative, and answered dozens of health questions (I was nice to be able to say no to all of them except the "has Jared has a cold in the last two weeks?"). We then had to half-restrain half-bribe Jared with candy while a nurse preformed a pre-operation physical on him (by this time he was throwing a fit at everything any nurse did to him--taking his temperature, listening to his heart, taking his pulse. I hope this doesn't develop into a lifetime phobia of doctors). Finally we had our instructions for the procedure the next morning, and we were free to go.

Tuesday morning at 6:30 saw us back at the hospital. We were admitted into a little room with a child's bed/crib. As we entered I thought how glad I was that we were here for nothing more serious than a carrot. Another battle ensued as the nurse tried to take his temperature and check his heartrate again. Eventually the anesthesiologist came in, and then the doctor. Finally we said goodbye to Jared as a flock of nurses escorted him to the operating room. It was hard to see him go off by himself, knowing how Jared would fear and struggle as they tried to get the gas mask on him. But within ten minutes, the carrot was out and within twenty-five minutes we were able to see him again. He didn't seem groggy, just grumpy about the pulse monitor that was taped to his toe.

So the carrot is out, and all is well. Thanks to everyone for the sympathetic (if somewhat snickering) inquiries about Jared's nose incident. We're happy that everything is resolved. Now we know what to do right away if this ever happens again:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/foreign_body_nose/page6_em.htm
(see blowing technique listed in the third bullet under "Self Care at Home". This is what the first doctor tried and which probably would have worked on Jared if we had done it as soon as we first noticed the carrot.)


*Special thanks to helpful neighbors, including the Hills and the Nyes, who provided last-minute childcare, blessings, and dinner.

The Adventures of Curious Jared

Once there was a little monkey named Jared. He was a good little monkey, but always very curious.

One Saturday morning (November 14th, to be exact), Jared woke up. It was a beautiful, sunny morning, and everyone was finally healthy and happy. Mommy and Daddy were looking forward to a calm, normal day together. Then before breakfast, something happened. Jared had a dirty diaper! Jared was curious. What would happen if he stuck his hand in his diaper? He decided to try it. Oh, what happened! First this, and then this--(Narrator: we won't divulge the details, but you can imagine the mess we got to clean up. The hand, the clothes, and the kitchen floor.)

After breakfast, the man in the yellow hat had to go to work, so Jared said smiled and waved goodbye. "Be a good little boy until I get home," the man called. Jared promised. But it is easy for little monkeys to forget.

After Allison's morning nap, Mommy took everyone shopping. "Just one store," she said. Because more than one store can mean disaster. So they climbed into the car and away they went to... the fabric store! Mommy got out and put Jared and Allison in the double stroller. Jared ate pretzels as they bumped through the double doors. What a neat place! There were aisles and aisles of fabric of all different colors. On a shelf were balls and balls of yarn. Near the checkout counter were rows of sewing machines and bottles of oil. Jared munched his pretzels while mommy steered their boat between the aisles, glancing at her watch and hoping for twenty minutes.

Fifteen minutes. Jared heard a cry. It was poor baby Allison. Jared was all better, but she was still a little sniffly and sad. Mommy started to push the stroller faster. Soon there were three big bolts of fuzzy fabric tottering on top of the stroller handle. A nice lady cut them out, and mommy went to look for some more. The nice lady was busy by the time Mommy came back, and Allison was getting louder and louder. Jared saw some other people look at her. Mommy picked her up out of the stroller and rocked her. Then Jared looked down. "I want more pretzels!" He said. Mommy looked worried and said there weren't any more.

Time to check out! Mommy held Allison, steered the double stroller with one hand, and tried not to let the piles of fuzzy fabric fall off. Finally they got to the checkout counter. There were lots of people buying all kinds of fabric and ribbons. "Oh no!" Said Mommy. "I forgot the interfacing!" So they went back to the counter with the nice lady. What a noise! Allison was crying and crying, and the nice lady didn't seem quite as nice anymore. Mommy found the interfacing fast and waited for the lady to cut it for her. She bounced Allison and hugged Allison and tried to give toys to Allison. Nothing was working! But the lady was coming. Mommy was relieved. She looked down at Curious Jared. What was that bottle he was holding? What was that shiny liquid that was squirting all over his shirt and the stroller and the floor? Oil! Jared has found a bottle of sewing machine oil, and it was squirting out of the tube nicely, like a fountain! "Oh Jared!" Mommy gasped. Jared licked the oil. It tasted funny, but he didn't mind that. Mommy snatched the bottle from Jared and scoured its label. "Non-toxic" Mommy read and sighed. The oil was greasy and slippery. The lady at the checkout had to bag it up so it wouldn't make a mess in their car. Jared thought he heard Mommy breath something like "Never taking either of them... shopping... for the rest of their lives," but he couldn't be sure.

That afternoon Daddy came home early. What fun it was when Daddy got home! It was the last warm day of the year, so Daddy thought they could all go out to the garden to rake leaves. Jared ran through the grass ahead of everyone. They crossed the bridge, and started walking across the field. A neighbor was walking by, and he said hello to them. But Jared didn't say hello back--he had another idea. Quick as lightening, Jared darted back over the bridge, around the corner, and smack into... berries! There was a tall berry bush just Jared's size! Jared loved berries. He ate them every morning on his cereal. These berries were darker with red stems, but they looked juicy. Jared plucked one off and started to put it in his mouth. "Jared! Don't eat that!" Daddy pulled Jared away from the bush. But there was purple berry juice on Jared's mouth. "How many did you eat?" Daddy asked.

Jared spent the rest of the afternoon back inside playing with his cars while Daddy looked up berry plants on the computer and Mommy called Poison Control. Yes, Pokeberry is poisonous, but only if you eat more than ten berries. Wash his hands and face, give him a drink, and call us back in an hour, the lady on the phone said. Curious Jared was lucky that time, said Daddy. Better stick with frozen blueberries, said Mommy.

The exciting Saturday was soon over, and Jared slept soundly that night. The next day was Sunday. Everyone had to stay home from Church except for Daddy because Allison was still sick and Jared was still coughing. For lunch Jared got to eat bologna, eggs, cheese, and baby carrots. How Jared loved baby carrots! Mommy was mixing up Allison's baby food while Jared used his sharp teeth to bite off pieces of carrot, just like a rabbit. Suddenly his nose started to tickle, and he sneezed a big sneeze! Pieces of carrot flew everywhere! But Mommy didn't notice. Jared rubbed his nose and looked down at the pieces. Suddenly he was curious. Would one of them fit into his nose? He picked one up and tried. It did! But it felt funny, so Jared tried to get it out. He pushed his finger up and up, but still the piece didn't come out. Suddenly the door opened--Daddy was home! Daddy sat down at the table and looked at Jared. "Is there something in your nose?" he asked.

Mommy and Daddy got out a little light and shined it into Jared's nose. Sure enough, it was a carrot. How would they get it out? They tried helping Jared sneeze. They tried tweezers. They even tried the baby nose sucker, but the carrot was stuck tight. So they called Urgent Care. The lady said maybe doctor could get it out. And if he couldn't, the ER could. Mommy and Daddy looked at each other. What did they do? Did they laugh? Did they cry? If you want to find out, you'll have to ask Curious Jared.


Epilogue: The doctor couldn't get the carrot out, so we have an appointment with the ear, nose, and throat specialists this morning. Jared will probably be all right, despite his overactive curiosity. We're just glad this wasn't the outcome of this weekend: http://www.victorlams.com/etc/images/george-3.jpg

That's our little monkey.

Adam Passed!

This Monday Adam endured two grueling hours of presenting his research--born from years of sweat and tears--to a board of skeptical, curmudgeonly professors. (Well, that's an exaggeration. His committee was actually quite good and I don't think he's shed too many tears over his research. But nevertheless...) The verdict? He passed! This means that the department will not grant him an apologetic master's and ask him to leave the program. Two years down, three to go!

To celebrate, the kids and I met him on campus and we took him out to lunch at Dos Reales. He took the next day off and we traveled to St. Louis with Jacob, Alysa, and little Benjamin Stewart. We toured the zoo (very beautiful; I especially loved the bird house) and then we went to the temple. It was quite a day trip. We had a good time!

Dental Diversions

What's the furthest you've ever traveled to visit the dentist? Five miles? Twenty miles? Well, not to brag but... I recently traveled a whopping two thousand miles to get my dental work done!

At the end of September, I left the boys with Grandma in Chicago and Allison and I flew out to Seattle. There I met Adam's sister, Jenny, and her darling 11-month-old, Lizzie. We hung out at their town home until the evening and then drove to her husband, Dave's, dental office. And there he (assisted by Jenny, who is a dental hygienist) filled my plethora of cavities... gratis!


Aside from completing my fillings meticulously, Jenny and Dave showed me around the impressive Puyallup Fair. We saw everything from artists carving tree stumps with chain saws to huge litters of piglets (no Wilburs, though) to a one thousand-pound pumpkin! We also enjoyed some scrumptious fair food and browsed the hundreds of vendors selling all sorts of bizarre contraptions.
It was great to see the Stevens family, and Allison had fun playing with her cousin Lizzie. I also enjoyed the mommy-daughter time we got together on the plane (she was actually really good on the plane--phew!). Thanks, Jenny and Dave, for a great weekend in Washington!

(Epilogue: Jared came with Adam to pick us up from the airport; he was excited to see me and even more excited to see Allison again. They laughed together the whole ride back! I gave him a souvenir: a "Curious George" stuffed monkey from the fair)

Summer o' Fun

Well! I do believe it's been a full three months since my last post. For shame! Here's an update on what has been taking priority over blogging (ironically, it's just when you're too busy to write that you have the most to blog about...)

Dickson Family Vacation
At the end of May my parents and siblings all drove from Utah to meet us in Nauvoo. This vacation was a very pleasant surprise (they decided on it just a few weeks before hand), and it turned out to be so much fun. They got to meet Allison and play with Jared, and we all enjoyed the sites of Old Nauvoo. After a few days we all drove to Savoy where they got to see our house and taste some Chicago pizza! Even three months afterward, Jared still talks about our "Mauvoo" vacation with the Dicksons.

Jared's Birthday Party
Jared turned two in June, and I decided to throw him a school bus birthday party. Thanks to Anne and Denny Anderson who provided the school bus, we were able to tour the town in style. After our bus ride, we ate cake and enjoyed the park. The party seemed like a lot of work, but Jared still remembers getting to ride (and eat) a school bus, so I think it was worth it. And now we have a two-year-old in the house. Yikes! :)



Washburn Family Vacation
Just a few weeks after our Nauvoo trip, we got to drive to Wisconsin with Adam's family for a vacation in Door County. The countryside up there is breathtaking, and we enjoyed staying in a lovely log home, biking, going to a fish boil, touring the state park on segways, and para sailing. It was so fun to have everyone there. We also got to attend the temple for Trevor's first time through. He is going to be a great missionary!


Our 4th Anniversary
On August 16th we celebrated four years of marriage! The weekend of our anniversary we enjoyed a romantic dinner at home (take-out from Olive Garden), and we also got to attend the wedding of one of Adam's lab mates. We got babysitters for Jared and Allison and enjoyed a whole day with just the two of us at the wedding. It was a beautiful Christian ceremony, and the reception afterward was very nice (they even had swing dancing, which was great fun!). It's been a wonderful four years, with lots of changes and adventures. I am so lucky to be married to Adam! He is my best friend.


Project I: The Bookshelf
So by the time all these spectacular events were through it was mid-July and I still hadn't cashed in on Adam's birthday gift to me: help creating a children's bookshelf. Now, this isn't any ordinary bookshelf. Inspired by Jim Trelease's The Read-Aloud Handbook (which I highly recommend to any parent or teacher), it displays the books face-out. The idea is that this provides better book advertising than does a shelf crammed full of book spines. I liked the idea, so we decided to turn our toy box shelf into a bookshelf. After a lot of sanding and painting and screwing, we had ourselves a bookshelf!


Project II: Food Storage
I know I blogged about food storage last year, but I now see that what I had thought was a good start on a three-month supply was actually just a drop in the bucket. Since then I've discovered foodstoragemadeeasy.net. They have a three-month meal planning spreadsheet that I HIGHLY recommend. After getting a heavy-duty storage shelf for the food, picking up free Kraft storage buckets from a fellow ward member, filling out the spreadsheet, taking inventory of what we already have and what we'll need to buy, and ordering food from the Cannery and Walton Foods, I think I'm almost done! Now the trick is to learn how to rotate through it... Any ideas?

Freelance Editing
I'm still working as copy editor of the University of Illinois Press philosophy journal The Pluralist. This is a triannual journal that contains articles written by philosophy professors from around the country. Needless to say, this job has taught me many new words, shown me sentences as long as half a page, and given me a good dose of the "philosophies of men." :) I also edit and proofread book manuscripts for Publication Services (Champaign, IL). So now you know what I do at nap time!



And Last But Not Least...
Oh yeah--and then there's the kids! They have definitely claimed the majority of my attention this summer. Jared's speaking abilities have grown by leaps and bounds this summer; some of my favorite Jared phrases are "Speed. I am speed" (from the Cars movie), "Daddy is silly!" and "Jared loves Allison." He's also been working on potty training, and we've had a lot of success over the past few days... I hope that lasts!

Allison is almost six months, and she is a joy to take care of. She is good natured and smiles all the time. She likes her big brother, and it's been fun to see them getting more playful and interactive with each other. Allison's current hobbies are rolling all over, chewing on things, and splashing in her baths. I love these two kiddos!

A Reflection on Twins...

Today Lori and I turned twenty-four. This is a perfect day for a reflection on twins...

The other day when I was at the park, Jared wanted to play on the teeter-totter. I set him next to a little blonde toddler who was already on the toy. As they rocked, I looked up to see an identical blonde tot sliding down the slide--they were twins!

When I asked their father whether they were identical twins, he said yes. I was just sure he was thinking, "Yes, they're twins. I get this all the time." But when I said that I have a twin sister too, his demeanor changed. He looked curious and asked whether we were still friends. I said yes--definitely. We had always been best friends. He said he hoped the same for his girls.

As I watched those two sisters play near us at the park that day, I reflected on my own unique situation of being a twin. It's been great to always have a friend there. We made mud pies together ("biga batches"), flooded the sandbox together, climbed trees, and made a secret garden together. We shared twin pops together while lying under the wispy boughs of our weeping willow tree, and we made "rope inventions" in its branches. We "mud-wungled" and played hot lava and made forts with blankets. In the fall, we went to the first day of school--always together.

We shared the same birthday, and often shared a birthday cake and presents. In fact, the first time I blew out birthday candles by myself was two years ago, after Adam and I had moved to Illinois. It was a strange experience. I wasn't sure I'd have enough air to blow them all out myself. Today is our 24th birthday (Happy birthday, Lori!) Next week the Dicksons are all coming to Champaign, and Lori and I will share a cake then. That will feel much more natural!

My mother dressed me and Lori alike sometimes when we were little. But we have always very clearly been fraternal. In fact, I think we barely even look like sisters. Yet some people sware we look exactly alike. Either way, with the names "Lisa and Lori," many people got us confused at school. I got so used to it that I still turn my head when someone calls, "Lori!" (Since I got married and moved away, there have been at least two occasions when someone has called me Lori, not knowing my sister at all--or even that I had a twin. That was bizarre.) Still, we are similar in stature and especially in interests. We both graduated with BYU with a BA in English (though Lori got a BS in MFHD as well, and she is now almost through with her English MA). We both love playing the piano and keeping in contact with our high school friends. To them and others who knew us, we will always be "the twins."

Sometimes the fact that I'm a twin slips to the back of my mind now that we aren't living in the same place. I no longer have the benefit of going through new transitions with my best friend at my side (Ack! This is going to make me cry.) But we call every week, and we fly out to visit each other as often as we can. And there's always that telepathic "twin connection" that keeps us in touch. :)

I love my sister so much, I decided to name my daughter after her (Allison Lori). Allison couldn't have a better example to follow than her aunt. Lori is diligent, intelligent, dependable, wonderful with children, compassionate, and kind. Many have appreciated her friendship, but no one more than me. How grateful I am that my childhood has been blessed--and my life now continues to be blessed--by a wonderful twin sister.

Wet, wet, wet

This morning started last night, when Jared woke up crying. We concluded that he was probably sick, since he woke up every hour after that until midnight. This morning I arose at 6am to the sound of pouring rain and a wakeful, congested Jared. Ironically, it's Allison who had the doctor's appointment today. Here's the morning from my perspective:

8:00 Call Julianne to tell her Jared can't come play with Justin--he's sick. I'll have to take him to the doctor with me.

9:25 Time to get ready for our ten o'clock appointment. "We're going to the doctor," I explain to Jared. When we get home we can have cheese sandwiches for lunch." He is excited to go out into the rain; he hands me his shoes. I get his jacket, my jacket, Allison's car seat cover and a blanket, the diaper bag, EXTRA special snacks for Jared to eat at the doctor's office, the umbrella stroller, the Moby wrap, and my wallet. Jared actually agrees to sit in the umbrella stroller: a miracle.

I flick Jared's hood over his head and close the peek hole on Allison's car seat cover. How to carry everything? I put the car seat handle in the crook of my right arm, hold the umbrella with my right hand, balance the diaper bag on my right shoulder, and try to steer the umbrella stroller with my left hand. Everyone ready? I open the front door and we stepped out into the deluge. I duck my head and push. Made it out the door. Made it down the front step. Made it--PUDDLE! Forgot about that one. It gets six feet long and an inch or two deep in heavy rain. (This is heavy rain.) Can't go over it, can't go under it, have to go through it. Splash, splosh! Splash splosh! (Hope Jared enjoyed that.) We make it the rest of the way to the car. Glance at Allison: she's covered well. Glance at Jared: his pants are soaked through! Wipe a wet strand of hair from my cheek and pull my keys from my pocket. Three minutes later we're loaded and driving out of the parking lot.

We have to take a detour from the normal route (you've gotta love construction), so getting there takes twice as long. But we left early--pat ourselves on the back. The rain pours down and runs off the streets. I'm grateful for our car.

Here's the clinic parking lot; we find a relatively close spot. I look back at the kids: they are both asleep. What a pity to wake a new baby and a sick toddler. Five minutes later, Allison is in the Moby wrap, wiggling from the wet and the wind. I promise pretzels, and a drippy Jared consents to get into the stroller. No point in bringing the umbrella now. We run toward the clinic doors, the diaper bag bouncing against my hip. Once inside, I get a glance of my reflection in a window. Nice just-out-of-the-shower look.

The appointment goes well. "She's so calm!" marvels the nurse. "She's so mellow! And what a perfect head shape." declares the doctor. Wiping Jared's nose, I thank them. Shots are hard on baby, harder on Mom. It is pitiful to see her cry--probably louder than she's ever cried in all her lifetime combined. But soon it's over. Allison gets kisses and Jared gets a sticker. Time to go home. We load up and get to the exit. Has it stopped raining yet? The automatic doors open. Nope. Still pouring. Out we go.

Once in our parking spot at home, I take a deep breath. Time to do the rigmarole once more. I pull out the wet--not damp--stroller, the diaper bag, and Allison, snug in her car seat. Walk around to Jared's side. He's fast asleep. I undo the buckles from around his sopping jacket and begin to pull him out. He wakes up and cries. I give him a kiss, then plop him into the puddled stroller seat and drive him onto the curb. I wonder how deep that big puddle is now... No matter. At least we have warm, dry clothes and cheese sandwiches waiting at home.